ms at 56

how exspensive are the meds for ms and do you have to take them for the rest of your life??arlene

[Quixotic1]

Hi, Marie

Hi, I'm Quix, one of the Community Leaders for the forum.  I am 56 and am newly diagnosed with MS.  So I understand your question, you time in life and the feeling of beeing scared.  The whole topic of MS is so huge that is it easier if we know more about you.  There are a lot of things we would have to know before we can talk about the meds and taking them.

Would you be willing to tell us your story; of how your symptoms started and of your road to suspecting MS?  Are you diagnosed?

We hope to hear from you soon.

Quix

[Deb61]

Hi Marie!  I'm assuming you're newly diagnosed.  I was diagnosed with MS in early February and started Copaxone in March this year.  The medicines can be expensive if you don't have health insurance.  My medicine is about $2000 a month without insurance.  With insurance, it is $62.50 every 3 months for the Copaxone.  However, this is the one drug.  I take many other drugs to manage the symptoms, and none of them are for pain management.  I have needed medicines for pain in the past, but I'm not taking anything for that now.  

My sister, who has MS, is having the Tysabri infusions.  I believe she said that her medicine and infusions costs are $7,000 a month.  This medicine is quite expensive, and is usually not the first drug of treatment when diagnosed with MS.  Typically, the other disease modifying drugs have not worked before this one is prescribed.

As far as taking shots for the rest of my life, I really doubt it.  What I understand is that a new oral medicine, Fingolimod, will be available next year.  I'm really interested about this because I've heard that the the effiacacy rate is like Tysabri at 70%.  The ABC drugs, like Copaxone has an effiacacy rate of about 30%.  So far, I'm doing well on the Copaxone (as far as side-effects and site reactions go).  

Have you be given a choice of medicines to take?

Deb